A Thousand Reasons
by visionsofmangos
Summary: Despite a thousand reasons it's a bad idea, Alec develops a crush on Kiera. There are a thousand reasons it doesn't make sense, but Kiera starts to reciprocate. A one-shot that kept me awake and spiraled out of control...
1. Chapter 1

Alec

In the beginning, it's nothing. Just a harmless crush. Alec can't recall exactly when he started noticing Kiera. Maybe sometime around when he receives a message from his future self, telling him Kiera was sent back for a reason. Obviously she's important to this unfamiliar version of himself in sixty years' time, but slowly he realizes how much she matters to him _now_ , too.

He tries a thousand ways to talk himself out of it. There's the age difference, for starters; and she's _married_ , which would ordinarily be a very solid logical argument against indulging a crush, but even Kiera herself, determined as she is, has begun to despair of ever returning to her version of 2077, and when she talks about trying to build a life for herself here, in this time, Alec catches himself imagining what it would be like to be a part of that life. And once he sees her that way, he finds he can't stop looking.

He sees through her eyes, and it captivates him. Not so much what she sees, but how she sees it. What she chooses to look at, how long she dwells on any particular sight, which things draw her attention, and which things hold it… He's fascinated.

It shouldn't be that big of a deal. He's determined not to let it consume him, but he _thinks_ too much. But it's not like it could ever really happen, right? When Kiera asks what he does with his free time, he jokes about girls thinking he's taken. At first, she snorts and brushes it off. After the third or fourth time he mentions it, though (maybe he's laying it on too thick?), she snaps at him. He stops bringing it up.

Kiera

It's nothing, at first. Just some light teasing, here and there. "In your dreams," she tells him, and she means it. But one night, they're hunched over a computer monitor, munching on some hastily microwaved ramen because they'd both forgotten to eat that day (too busy chasing down terrorists out of time), and Alec says offhand, "You know, I stood up a date for this. Guess I'll have to tell her she has to share my heart," and something inside Kiera breaks. She yells at him, she's not sure what she says but she regrets it instantly when she sees a wounded expression flash over his face before he manages to erase it. She excuses herself and, once she's alone in the bathroom, she indulges her sadness for just a moment. She misses her husband and she misses Sam, and this isn't _right_ , nothing about this time and place is right… but that's not true, is it?

In a very odd way, she's beginning to feel that she's found her way home, with the Liber8 investigation and Carlos and yes, weirdly, with Alec Sadler. It's hard to conceptualize her friendship with the most powerful man of her time, hard to reconcile the Alec she knows now with the magnate he'll supposedly become. She can't help feeling she's stealing his formative years away from him, and it's strange, but a part of her sort of likes knowing how important she is to him. It feels like a betrayal of her other life to even think this, but maybe there is something here for her. Slowly, the future is well and truly becoming her past, and she's not sure she entirely minds.

Alec

Time passes. Alex and Kiera settle into a comfortable rhythm; chasing bad guys, but more often than not battling inner demons and whatnot. They share a common dread of the passage of time: Alec because he fears becoming the heartless CEO Kiera describes (maybe he's reading between the lines a little too much); Kiera because she worries she's settling too comfortably into this decade. She confesses this to Alec one night while she's doing laundry (of all things); he suspects she couldn't say it face to face.

"I can't let myself be happy in this time, Alec. It's like I'm saying they didn't matter."

He doesn't know what to say initially. A beat passes, then two. Three, four. Words have never been his element. Maybe the moment's gone, but then, he feels this is too important just ignore, so he tries for her sake.

"I know – well, I don't _know_ , I've never been in your shoes – but – well, I can only imagine—"

"It's okay, Alec. You don't have to say anything. I know I sound ungrateful; I promise I'm not. I really do appreciate what I have here. It could be a good life. I just…" She's crying now, and trying to hide it. She should know by now that she can't hide this kind of thing from him. Not just because of her CMR; he _knows_ her now.

"You're not giving up on them, you know," he reminds her gently. "You can love your family and still want to make something new."

She sniffs and he can hear her wipe her nose on her sleeve. A small, unquiet part of him reflects that he loves her for that, though he couldn't explain why if asked. The rest of him tells that part to shush.

"I miss them so much, Alec. If I didn't have you and Carlos… I don't know where I'd be."

"Don't forget Liber8," Alec adds. "You need a purpose. You're a Protector. It's who you are."

"Every Protector needs a partner. I had Elena… but I've lost her all over again. Thanks… for being my partner, Alec."

"Isn't that Carlos' job?" Alec hopes he managed to keep the note of jealousy out of his voice.

Kiera pauses. "There's more than one kind of partner, I guess."

It's small, but that obnoxiously romantic part of him rejoices in the victory.

Kiera

It really shouldn't have been a big deal; it's not like it's a matter of life or death. He doesn't answer her right away when she tries to contact him via CMR. Turns out he's on a date.

Her anger surprises her, and him. "You're the one who told me to get a life!" he protests.

"I know," she replies, struggling to keep her voice level. "I know. I just didn't mean for… _this_ to happen."

It's true, she realizes. She didn't mean for any of this to happen.

She didn't mean to go back in time. Didn't mean to lie her way into a position with Vancouver PD. Didn't mean to become a savior to a decade that's not even her own. Didn't mean to begin falling for Alec Sadler. Didn't mean to—

All of a sudden, she's intensely grateful that her thoughts, at least, are entirely her own. Did she really just _think_ that? About _Alec_ , of all people?

While she's busy berating herself for going there, even in her mind, a small voice in her head is arguing too enthusiastically for the idea. Well, why not? _A thousand reasons!_ Kiera wants to shout at the stubbornly starry-eyed side of herself. He's a teenager! (Hardly, starry-eyed Kiera scoffs.) She's married! (Sixty years from now.) He's the most powerful man in the world! (In a version of events that's becoming less likely to hold true by the day.) He's clearly not interested in her! (But then again…)

She stops in her tracks – she hadn't even noticed she'd begun pacing around her apartment. All those jokes he's made about them being a couple… What if he wasn't being entirely facetious? They've been spending a lot more time together, it's true. And not always fighting evil. Sometimes they're just _together_ , playing video games – Kiera finds she's much better at them in 2013, they're less complicated – or trading knowledge about tech, or eating, or just talking.

All at once Kiera wishes she could take a turn being in Alec's head for a change.

Alec

At first it annoyed him when Kiera interrupted his date. He was really trying to live as normal a life as possible, which wasn't easy when he spent most of his time as technical supergenius support for a time-travelling crimefighter. It's not that he's not good with girls – well, at least, he's not _awful_ with them. It's just that he usually has other things to do with his time, and he's sort of awkward. But this girl was pretty, and nice, and actually noticed him, which was nice for a change.

But. Was that _jealousy_ he detected in Kiera's voice when she couldn't reach him right away? That makes him all kinds of smug, and against his better judgment, he allows his mind to wander. By the time he gets home and his roommate asks how the date went, he's almost forgotten said date was not, in fact, with Kiera.

He doesn't go out with that girl again. (Which is okay, they didn't really click anyway. Alec spent the date convincing himself he wasn't comparing the girl in front of him to some mental checklist that's definitely not labeled "Kiera Cameron.")

He finds himself making excuses to spend more time with Kiera, like updating her suit, and he keeps catching himself touching her – just little, very nonthreatening things, a brush against her hand here, a playful bump to the shoulder there. The weirdest part is, he could _swear_ she's doing it back.

Kiera

Alec is not subtle. It's a quality he almost entirely lacks. Kiera can't believe it took her this long to realize how utterly infatuated he is with her. It makes her feel horribly guilty, because she can never reciprocate.

Can she?

She feels like she's twenty again, falling in love with a man just out of reach. It's so _different_ than it was with Greg, though. Before he proposed to her, she never felt sure of where she stood with him. It ended in happiness, of course. It ended with marriage and a child, not necessarily in that order, and with a _life_ together, a good life.

No, it ended with her here, in 2013. It ended with her chasing criminals she helped condemn to death, once. It ended with her separated from everything she's ever known.

But it doesn't have to end here. It can end with a new beginning. Can't it?

Is it possible for one person to find a good life twice?

Alec

In the end, the truth just sort of bursts out of him. He doesn't plan it, doesn't even realize he's going to say anything until, spur of the moment, he does. He's not sure exactly _what_ he says, because there's a rushing sound in his ears like he's going to pass out, and his brain and mouth aren't exactly the best of allies right now, but he must have said _something_ , and it must have been real words that made sense together, because Kiera's giving him a startled and meaningful look, and he's about to cut his losses and run, because how could he be so _stupid_ —

"Alec," she says slowly, like his name is something unfamiliar in her mouth, even though she's said a thousand times.

"You don't have to – you don't have to say anything," he stammers. "I'm sorry. I know it's weird, and it's not like that for you, and it's okay, really, I—"

"Alec," she says, more firmly this time, "shut up."

He stops talking. Stops breathing, maybe.

"I do… I do like you," she murmurs. She's staring at him with a look of wonder on her face, and he wishes he could see this moment through her eyes. Except he doesn't really, because he'd have to be looking at a computer screen instead of actually at her, and he's suddenly quite content to be experiencing whatever this is, as opposed to the panic he was feeling just a minute ago.

"God help me, I know there are a thousand reasons I shouldn't, but… I _do_.

"I thought for the longest time I knew what was coming. I thought the future was certain. I thought _I_ was certain." She smiles then. "Who knew the girl who knew everything could be surprised by herself?"

He wants to let out a celebratory whoop. He wants to kiss her. He does neither of those things. He's afraid of breaking this, whatever this is.

"I can't make any promises yet," Kiera warns. "I don't know where we go from here. This is uncharted territory."

He clears his throat and hopes words won't fail him. "Luckily, we're figuring this out together."

It's not everything he's dreamed of. But it's a start.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I had every intention of ending this story with last chapter's "definitely maybe," which is usually as far as I go with anything romantic. But I woke up the day after posting it with a line in Alec's voice in my head, and I couldn't resist. From here on out, everything will be from Alec's POV unless otherwise indicated. Also, rating has been changed to reflect content in later chapters.

Nothing happens immediately; there's no burst of sparks, no fireworks to announce that the status of their relationship has changed. Not that they're together officially yet – but Kiera gave him a "definitely maybe," and Alec is satisfied with that for now. It's more than he could have hoped for, really.

But. Something _has_ changed, and it's frustrating him that it doesn't _seem_ like it has. Kiera hasn't even been to his apartment since The Conversation. Which is incredibly disappointing for a host of reasons, only some of which are related to the collection of movies (collected via methods of dubious legality at best) which he's been meaning to watch with her.

Clearly Kiera isn't going to make the first move. So far she's matched his steps exactly and gone no further. So he devises a plan.

He contacts her via CMR during an investigation that's clearly boring her to tell her that he left something behind at the farm when he moved, and invites her to go with him to retrieve it. Transparently fishing for a date, yet somehow, it _works_. Once assured that Alec's mom won't be home (she has a political meeting of some kind, which worries Alec vaguely, so he chooses not to mention it for now), Kiera – who is finally beginning to remember to hold her phone to her ear when she gets a "call" – readily agrees.

"I'm driving," Alec says automatically.

"Well, I assumed you would – wait, do you not trust my driving?"

"Absolutely not," Alec replies without hesitation. "I witnessed your first attempt, remember?"

I'll have you know I am an _excellent_ driver in my time," she huffs.

"Sure, when the vehicle does ninety percent of the work for you," he snorts.

Kiera points out, "There are far fewer accidents in 2077."

"Something which I'm sure will motivate me while I'm inventing self-driving cars. Well, more effective ones, anyway. For now, though, I drive. Nonnegotiable."

"Has your ego always been this big? You don't invent everything, you know!"

"Do I invent self-driving cars or not?" She falls silent, and he smirks. "Thought so. See you in an hour."

"Finding his way to her place is a matter of memory, although he hasn't actually been here since that first time he went snooping (her words, not his). She was so alarmed at the time. Their mutual trust has come a long way since then.

The passenger side door swings open and Kiera settles into the truck. "Very fuel efficient," she observes wryly.

"Bite me," Alec mutters, and reaches for the radio. It's still set to a pop station, and he's momentarily embarrassed, wondering if Kiera's going to judge his musical taste. Then again, what does she care? All music from this decade probably sounds weird to her.

"Hold on," Kiera says suddenly. "I think – yeah, I know this one!"

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Alec groans. "Sixty-five years, and they _still_ can't stop playing this?"

"Apparently not." Kiera starts singing along slightly off-key: "My universe will never be the same. I'm glad you came. You cast a spell on me, spell on me…"

Glad his less-than-stellar singing voice isn't going to be glaringly obvious next to hers, Alec joins in. "Hit me like the sky fell on me, fell on me. And I decided you look good on me—"

"That's not how it goes, Alec, that doesn't even rhyme!"

"Yeah, but it's grammatically correct. Unlike the original. 'You look well on me'? Who talks like that? Ridiculous."

Out the corner of his eye, he seeks her shake her head. "You are such a pedant, Alec Sadler."

Grinning, Alec returns to singing, loudly emphasizing the change of lyrics every time it comes around. It's incredibly gratifying to hear Kiera's barely-suppressed giggle each time he does it. Also, Kiera Cameron _giggles_. This is new and delightful information.

They complete their errand without incident. This time around, Alec is able to give Kiera a proper tour of the farm, seeing as her partner isn't getting shot at and they aren't hostages. It's surprisingly painful for Alec to be back here now. In one day, he lost half of what family he has left – although he hasn't given up on Julian yet.

For her part, Kiera displays genuine interest in what he shows her. There aren't really small family farms in 2077, she explains, so much of what was, up until recently, a routine part of his life is unfamiliar to her. There's a worrying moment when they get to the horses that he is actually concerned she's going to pass out from pure joy. It's adorable, and he makes a mental note to bring her back sometime soon – maybe introduce her properly to his mom this time. Although, yeah, things would be… _complicated_ , after everything that happened. A hurdle he doesn't feel like leaping over just yet.

On the way home, Alec glances over to see Kiera with her head tipped back, asleep in the passenger seat.

How, he wonders, did he possibly get this lucky?


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** This was actually the first follow-up scene I wrote. I'm a little embarrassed by it, but I have so much love for the banter between Kiera and Alec, and this practically wrote itself. Still have no idea how long this will be, though it's already the longest fanfic I've ever written by a long shot and I'm nowhere near done.

He glances over at his computer screen and his mouth goes dry. The image is out of focus – obviously Kiera is only seeing it out the corner of her eye – but he can see her reflection in a mirror, and she's shirtless. Her bra is tan and purely functional, but it's incredibly distracting all the same.

He clears his throat. "Uh, Kiera?"

Understandably, she flips out. "Get out of my head, Alec!" she hisses through gritted teeth.

"What, and miss the show? It's not like I haven't – hey, seriously? You're just going to close your eyes? That's so cheating!"

"Oh, really? _I'm_ cheating? I'm pretty sure you have the upper hand, what with being _in my head_!"

Alec isn't sure if he wants to continue teasing her or protest his innocence in the matter. Maybe a bit of both. "You are the one who decided to get a CMR in the first place, you know," he points out. "This has always been a possibility. Frankly, it's a miracle it didn't happen sooner."

"You invented it! And didn't tune out when it was _very obvious_ I was getting undressed!"

"Kiera, I am not a mind reader. How was I supposed to know you were getting ready for bed?"

"I don't know, maybe the fact I had just laid out pajamas might have tipped you off?" He can hear her sort of deflating.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't paying attention. Contrary to what you may believe, I don't actually monitor your feed 24/7." He smirks. "Also not my fault you have a very conveniently placed mirror, though I can't say I'm not grateful for it."

"Alec," she growls, and he decides it's time to back off. It's possible she is actually upset by the intrusion, accidental though it was, and as much as he loves their banter, he's not trying to antagonize her.

"Sorry, sorry. Won't happen again, okay?"

His screen flickers to life as she opens her eyes again, and although he's slightly disappointed, he's not surprised she's facing a blank wall this time. He sees her hand in front of her face, and then hears her run her fingers through her hair. She exhales. "I know you didn't watch me on purpose. And I can't blame you for… enjoying it. But, this… whatever this is… is still _way_ too new for you to be seeing me naked."

"Absolutely, understood. I'm not trying to… pressure you, Kiera. At all. I'm perfectly okay with you calling the shots."

She laughs once. "Uh, yeah, no. I'm not going to boss you around, Alec. That's not my style."

"Oh. No? Interesting. I would have thought, with you being a cop – well. Anyway, that's not what I meant. I was just trying to say that we can move at your pace."

"My pace?"

Alec swallows, wishing she wasn't going to make him say it. "Well, I mean, you are the one with the, uh… hangups. You know. The. Um. Husband situation. You know. Plus being the woman out of time and all that. I've got the home field advantage. Wait, do you have baseball in the future?"

Apparently he'll have to satiate his curiosity about future sports at a later date, because she sounds upset. "You think I have the advantage? Alec, I know the future, not to mention I am ten years older than you. I feel like I'm corrupting a minor! I have way too much power over you, I—"

"Wait, wait, wait," Alec interrupts. "First of all, I'm pretty sure we've determined that whatever you think you know about the future, well, it's not set in stone, is it?" He winces, knowing that probably stung, yet plows on regardless. "And as far as the age difference goes, well, technically I'm, what, fifty years older than you? So if anyone's robbing the cradle, it's definitely me." He smirks. "So either way, I am definitely winning."

He can't identify the exact note in her voice, but whatever it is, he definitely likes it. "Why, Alec Sadler, are you making this a competition?"

Flirting, he decides. Kiera is definitely flirting with him. This is certainly an appreciated turn of events. "Maybe I am."

Fabric crinkles as she settles into bed and closes her eyes again. "Good. I'm very competitive."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Many thanks to my sister, who has been very tolerant with my latest obsession and provided the prompt "ice cream" when I asked her for one while we were sitting in her grad school's computer lab on a Sunday night. She's great and I love her bunches.

" _Ice cream_?" Alec bellows in outraged disbelief. "There's no _ice cream_ in 2077? What kind of dystopian hellscape is this place?"

They're out wandering around the city after a long day for Kiera at the precinct. Alec noticed Kiera staring longingly at a Dairy Queen and jokingly commented it was like she'd never seen one before. Her confirmation is seriously blowing his mind.

"Wait, wait," he holds his hands up in her direction to forestall any response, "don't tell me. Do I hoard all delicious frozen dairy desserts in the future?"

She winces slightly; future Alec is something of a touchy subject. To a degree he supposes he understands; it's gotta be complicated for her. If she wants to have any hope of returning to her timeline, to her son, Alec has to turn into this soulless corporate dictator or whatever that he definitely doesn't want to be. If she lets him choose his own path, it's likely she's willingly erasing her future/past from existence. Talk about a conflict of interest. Of course, the entire consideration is completely theoretical, but that doesn't help Alec sleep any better at night.

"I imagine you do have access to some, maybe, but for the rest of us, it's an unnecessary luxury. Food is distributed in pre-packaged rations; actual cow's milk isn't very efficient to produce as compared to soy milk, so." Kiera shrugs.

"That is completely and utterly depressing. Come on, future girl, we're getting ice cream." He grabs her arm and starts steering her toward the store.

"In this weather?" She sounds doubtful, but also eager, and it makes Alec unbelievable happy to see her that way. She's so _serious_ most of the time. Little by little, though, she's been loosening up.

"A little chill does not necessitate forgoing ice cream," declares Alec. "Besides, all those calories technically warm you up. Come on, let's go!"

He expects Kiera to take forever to choose a flavor, but she orders a vanilla cone easily. There's a brief awkward pause as Alec debates if he's supposed to pay for both of them, but it passes without incident when Kiera pulls out her own wallet. He's not 100 percent sure how she managed to open a bank account without official documentation (he suspects Kellogg is involved somehow), but he decides it's best not to ask right now.

They continue walking, and Alec comments, "You know, if this were a romantic comedy, you'd definitely be getting ice cream on your nose right about now, leaving me with no choice but to lick it off."

She laughs, to his delight. "One, _gross_. Two, this is too precious to waste on faux-cute gestures. I'll lick it off my own nose if I have to; I'm not sharing."

"Glad we're in agreement, because I am most definitely not sharing either."

To Alec's shock, Kiera slips her hand into his with no warning. His whole body hums, and he glances over at Kiera; it's too dark to tell, but he suspects she's blushing. _Well_.

Their journey back toward Kiera's place continues for several more minutes in companionable silence, Alec reflecting that this is significantly better than he could have imagined, and also that he's turning into a giant sap, because really? Hand-holding? Not exactly the pinnacle of passion.

"Let's do this again," he suggests impulsively. "Tomorrow. I'll pick you up from the station, and we'll just wander. You can try chocolate this time, or whatever. It'll be – Kiera?"

Her features are twisted in a grimace; he quickly runs back through his words in his mind, but aside from pushing his luck a little, he can't think of anything inherently wrong with what he's said.

Kiera shakes her head. "No. I – I can't. You can't just show up at the station. How would I explain it?"

She has a point, actually, in that she hasn't revealed the identity of her "Section Six" contact yet. Still, he's pretty sure her reluctance has another source. So, perhaps unwisely, he pushes.

"You don't have to say anything about Section Six. Just tell them we're hanging out. It'll be fine."

She shakes her head again. "Carlos knows who you are, from the—" she hesitates – "you know, incident on the farm. It's going to seem pretty weird to him that I'm hanging out with Julian Randol's stepbrother."

"I don't think he's going to suspect me of Liber8 sympathies, if that's what you're getting at. I helped save his life." And yeah, maybe he's bragging a little now.

She still looks unconvinced.

He's going to regret this later, but right now, he doesn't care. "That's not it, though, is it? You're ashamed for your work buddies to see you with some _kid_. Right? Especially Carlos, because…"

Actually, he's not sure how to finish that thought, which is just as well, because Kiera looks _pissed_. Crap.

"Jealousy does not look good on you," she says coolly.

"Yeah, well, that's because blue is more my color," he answers flippantly, still not willing to back down.

She yanks her hand away and he immediately misses the warmth as she demands, "What exactly do you want from me, Alec? You say we can move at my pace, but when I tell you I'm not ready to see you at work, you get mad. How is that fair?"

"Yeah, well, what am I supposed to think? Forgive me for wanting to see my – _you_ in public!"

"What about this is not public enough for you?"

"How about the fact that you refuse to acknowledge me in front of anyone you know?"

She turns away from him then, and he has every intention of continuing the argument until he registers that she's crying.

"Do you even realize what you're asking of me?" she whispers tremulously. "Carlos knows I have a son. A family. If I show up tomorrow and tell him I'm dating someone…" There she goes, wiping her nose on her sleeve again. A disgusting, yet oddly endearing, habit. "I _can't_ , Alec," she goes on. "It's not that I care what Carlos thinks – I mean, I do, but it's a little late for that, isn't it?" There's no humor in the little laugh she lets out. "I just can't deal with this inevitable questions. Not yet. I'm still trying to accept the truth that I'm probably never going home. I'm not ready to… explain to Carlos, or Betty, or anyone else, that I can't see my family again. Maybe they've already assumed, I don't know. But, please… I just need time."

Alec reaches out to trace a line from her cheek to her chin. "Of course. Time," he echoes. "I get it. Take as much as you need."

She rewards him with a watery smile. "Rain check on the chocolate ice cream, though?"


	5. Chapter 5

They're watching a movie at Alec's place. His roommates are out doing God knows what; over the years, Alec has become a master of boring Friday nights in. When Kiera asked him earlier today what his plans were and he replied honestly that he was probably going to play some video games and maybe mess around with ARC some, she suggested they watch a movie instead. "It might help me to blend in more if I understood more pop culture references," she reasoned. How can Alec argue with that?

Despite the slowly warming temperatures, it's chilly tonight, and they're curled up next to one another under a blanket on Alec's bed, the laptop carefully balanced between them. Alec is enjoying a rewatch of _The Avengers_ , though in all honesty, mostly he's watching Kiera.

Onscreen, Tony Stark offers Bruce Banner a blueberry, and Alec's stomach growls.

"Snacks?" he suggests hopefully.

"Snacks," Kiera agrees instantly, and she braves the cold to retrieve something edible and, with any luck, salty.

Immediately he misses her warmth. The sound of her rummaging through the fridge and cabinets echoes slightly in the mostly empty house. There's not much left to eat – probably he should go grocery shopping tomorrow – but Kiera is still marveling over an abundance of choice when it comes to food. She returns with a jar of pickles and a mostly empty bag of pretzels and snuggles back up next to him.

They stay like that for the next twenty minutes or so, Alec occasionally inserting commentary to catch Kiera up on the characters introduced in other movies. Kiera listens intently. She's gorgeous, and she's watching a dumb superhero movie with him because she knows he likes it, and _wow_ , this is freaking _awesome_. She's got a beautiful small smile on her face, and before he can think too much about it, Alec leans in and kisses her.

On the occasion of their first kiss, sparks do not fly. An angelic chorus does not descend from the heavens and break out in song. Still, it's a nice moment all the same.

"Hmm," Kiera hums contentedly.

It was a gentle kiss, and yet Alec is having a bit of a hard time catching his breath. Not bad, as far as first kisses go. Although he's only had one first before, so he doesn't have much to compare it to.

"Alec," Kiera whispers.

He swallows the lump in his throat. Is it too early for him to admit to himself that he probably loves her? "Yeah?"

"You should probably rewind some. I don't want to miss anything important."

She doesn't say anything about the kiss, but she doesn't stop smiling throughout the rest of that movie or the next, either.

 **A/N:** Thanks to hobbitsetal on Tumblr for help in moving past my inertia in writing a first kiss scene! Fanfiction is not a solo sport, and I'm super grateful to those who've been hashing this out with me as I write.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Say it together now: AWWW! Also, frickin' nasty. Full confession, I wrote this while my dad had the stomach bug over the weekend. As bad as I felt for him, it was nice that the family all plopped down on the couch and binged Continuum for two days straight (making up for the fact that we only finished one episode all week). We're finally on S3, and I have a lot of salt over how some plot points are being handled, but I'm also still just as obsessed. As much as I'm fascinated by the whole multiple timelines thing, I think I'll stick to the plotless fluff for this fic, thanks.

There's an alarming sound over the airwaves, so to speak, and then Kiera groans, "Oh, _damn_."

"Uh, Kiera? You okay?" Ever since the mirror incident, Alec has been extra cautious about when he turns on Kiera's video feed. Technically she hasn't specifically told him not to turn it on yet this morning, but he has been trying really hard to do a better job of respecting her privacy.

This time, the sound of puking is unmistakable. "Gotta call Carlos," Kiera manages eventually.

Alec's stomach twists. Stomach bugs are the absolute _worst_. "Oh, that… sucks. Do you… need anything?" An idea occurs to him; he wishes it would have minded its own business, but now that he's had the thought, he'd feel guilty not saying something. "Do you want me to come over? I could… hold your hair back or something?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous. I don't need—" She heaves again. Despite being incredibly grossed out, Alec reaches a decision.

"Kellogg won't care if I take the day off. It's not a big deal. I'll be there in fifteen," he assures her. "Wait, maybe twenty. Do you want Gatorade? Forget it, you're getting Gatorade whether you want it or not. Gotta replenish those electrolytes." He resolutely ignores he protests and grabs his keys.

When he gets to her place, he doesn't bother knocking, figuring she's kind of busy. He finds her clinging to the toilet for dear life. "You look like hell," he observes.

"Thanks," Kiera mutters, muffled by the toilet bowl.

"I brought Gatorade and pretzels for when you can actually keep something down," he tells her.

"You didn't have to come over here," Kiera admonishes him.

"I know. Yet here I am. Best boyfriend ever, am I right?"

She doesn't answer that, because she's too busy hurling. " _Ugh_. I haven't been this sick since I was pregnant," she complains after a while.

Figuring a distraction is what she needs, Alec seizes onto her comment. "Tell me about Sam," he urges.

So she does. In between purge sessions – the gaps between which are mercifully becoming longer – she reminisces about her son. She describes him as serious, gentle, imaginative. Innocent, yet anxious. Devoted and playful.

He's her world, Alec knows, even still. She misses Sam, and that's never going to change. Alec has never really considered what he'd be like as a parent; he's not sure he wants kids, but if he ever is a father, he hopes he loves his children half as much as Kiera adores Sam.

As she finally begins to rally, Alec feels it's appropriate now for him to get a little selfish. "Great, now I've probably got the contagion," Alec mutters. "I hate throwing up. It's the worst of all the illnesses."

"Throwing up freaks you out," Kiera says slowly, "and yet you came over here when I was sick, even though I specifically told you not to. Why?"

"Oh, you know. In sickness and in health, all of that."

"We're not married."

Apparently wedding vows haven't changed all that much in the future. This is veering into uncomfortable territory. "Um. Still… it's solid advice, you know, for a relationship. If you love someone, you don't just love them when it's easy."

She's quiet for a long minute. "You love me," she states. It's not a question.

Alec swallows. Now he's definitely going to hurl. "Yeah. I do. I'm sorry, if that's too much, too soon. But I do."

There are tears in her eyes. "I love you too, Alec," she whispers. "I can't believe how much I love you. I didn't mean to, but…" She lets out a shaky laugh. "Aren't we a cute couple? Professing our love in a vomit-spattered bathroom?"

Alec cannot believe what he's hearing. Kiera loves him back? This is an actual, mutual thing now? How is one person allowed this much happiness?

A second later, he lunges for the toilet and loses the eggs he had for breakfast. Maybe it's karma, he reflects bitterly. Can't have too much happiness at one time, after all.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Once again, my sister is owed giant props for prompts. She sent me a bunch of random facts at work the other day and then said, "This is the kind of thing I can see Alec busting out at an awkward moment." Next update might be slow in coming; I've got one more chapter written, but it comes a bit later in the story and I haven't written what comes between.

They're on Kiera's bed, having an _excellent_ time, and Alec is thrilled to be using his mouth for something other than words for once. This is much more interesting. Though, for some inscrutable reason, he panics and pulls away. "Huh. Uh. Did you know, um. Like fingerprints, each person has a unique tongue print?"

To her credit, Kiera doesn't flinch. Without opening her eyes, she responds, "Trying to memorize mine?"

And _oh_ , for the love of all that's holy, that's hot in an undefinable and very enticing way. She's maddeningly sexy and he very much wants to go back to what they were doing, but his rebellious brain has unfortunately picked an extremely inopportune time to host a full-on freak-out.

"Also, horses can't vomit," he offers weakly. Mood killer for sure. _Curse_ his malfunctioning brain!

At that, Kiera does open her eyes. There's a slight furrow between her brows, but she doesn't look annoyed. Confused, maybe. "Did I do something wrong?"

"You? No! Absolutely not. I, on the other hand, apparently short-circuited and started spouting random trivia." He puts his head in his hands. "Ugh. I'm really sorry, Kiera. I didn't mean to… well, whatever that was, I didn't mean to do it."

"Alec," she says softly, "we can… slow down, if you want."

Slow down? Does she think – "Ah, no, it's not… um. It's not like I haven't… You wouldn't be my first, if that's what you were thinking. Not that I was assuming this was going anywhere in particular," he adds hastily.

She quirks an eyebrow. "Really?"

He's not sure which claim she's doubting. "I had a girlfriend for several months in high school. It's the twenty-first century; I'm not sure how it goes in the future, but…" He shrugs.

"I was pregnant with Sam when I got married, and no one batted an eye," Kiera replies.

"Shotgun wedding?"

"No one was threatening anyone, but yes, I suppose. Greg proposed when I told him I was pregnant. Apparently he'd been planning it for a while, but…" She trails off. "Greg was my first serious boyfriend. I guess there's not a lot of time for relationships when you join the military at sixteen."

Alec gapes, "Sixteen?"

"It's not so different from the current standard, is it?"

"Well, yeah, I mean, I guess not technically, but… Kiera, you weren't even a legal adult yet!" He can't pinpoint why exactly this bothers him so much; after all, it's not like he had an idyllic childhood or anything either. Being smarter than most of your peers doesn't really lend itself to making friends or anything. But _still_.

Her voice is sort of distant, and definitely sad. "You grow up fast when you're fighting a war. Besides, it gave me a purpose." She sounds so far away. "When I got out, I didn't know what to do with myself. I'd already lost my sister to Flash, and my parents and I were not close. I didn't have many friends, either. I was drifting, even with Greg, I think. I stayed home when Sam was a baby, and I'm glad I had that time with him, but I still lacked a sense of direction. When Greg suggested I join CPS, I leaped at the opportunity."

For lack of a better response, Alec goes with, "I bet you were a great cop."

"I was good. Elena and I were given some fairly advanced assignments rather quickly. Even guarding you, once. Until we were assigned to oversee the Liber8 execution, and I ended up here."

"Would you do it differently, if you could?"

She leans in and kisses him, much more softly than earlier. "It brought me to you, didn't it?"

"That's not an answer," he complains, but she doesn't elaborate. Which is only fair, really, because how can he ask her to choose between now, with him, and then, with Sam? Besides, it's an exercise in futility anyway. They've both accepted by now that it's unlikely, if not impossible, for her to return to her old life.

Her head is resting on his shoulder now, and they lay like that in silence for so long that Kiera falls asleep.

Alec stretches his legs out and repositions himself so, if his overactive mind cooperates, he can actually sleep. If he stays the night, he'll face merciless ribbing from his roommates tomorrow. Assumptions will be made, and subsequent judgements if he bothers to disabuse them of their notions. (Not that he plans to give them details of any kind. They're not exactly friends – not that he doesn't like them, he just hasn't gotten close to them. There was an attempt made once that ended with futuristic hallucinogens, and he just sort of… hasn't bothered since then. They do share some surface-level interests, but Alec has more secrets than he knows what to do with, and that doesn't exactly lend itself to satisfying friendships.)

Tonight didn't go as planned, but that's okay. _Eventually_ is the refrain of their relationship.


	8. Chapter 8

It's a Saturday night, and Alec and Kiera are at the movie theater for a date night when Alec spots a familiar face in the crowd.

"Hang on, is that _Carlos_?"

A fleeting expression of panic crosses Kiera's face before she schools her features into practiced blankness. "Betty, too," she responds neutrally.

"Oh. Is that happening now? Good for them."

"Possibly they're just here as friends, I know they spend a lot of time together," Kiera answers. Her voice is all wrong, and it takes Alec a beat too long to figure out why.

"You don't want to be seen with me," he deduces. He's careful not to sound accusing; it's just a fact that this is going to be uncomfortable for her.

"You know it's not like that—"

"No, it's okay. Really. I get it. We can try to avoid them, maybe come back later…"

"Screw it," Kiera interrupts. She waves to Carlos and Betty and mutters under her breath, "No more hiding."

"Kiera!" Carlos exclaims as the two pairs approach each other. "This is a surprise, seeing you here with…" When he sizes up Alec, recognition alights in his eyes, which subsequently narrow. "I remember you," Carlos says. "From the Randol farm."

Alec winces. Not a great start. "I…"

"Carlos, Betty," Kiera cuts in smoothly, "this is Alec Sadler, my boyfriend."

Alec wishes he couldn't see Carlos doing the mental math; he's already feeling super awkward as it is.

"Betty, this is the kid who helped me and Kiera when I was shot," Carlos explains.

Betty displays significantly more grace than her counterpart. "Nice to meet you, Alec," she says warmly. "Thanks for getting Carlos and Kiera out of that scrape."

"It was nothing," Alec mumbles.

"What are you guys seeing?" Carlos asks.

" _Now You See Me_ ," Alec and Kiera reply in unison.

At their tandem response, a smile spreads across Carlos' face at last, and Betty gushes, "That's what we saw! You're going to love it!"

"I'm sure we will. Enjoy the rest of your evening," Kiera says, a clear dismissal, and at long last the conversation is over.

"What was that?" Alec hisses when they're far enough away.

Kiera frowns. "Carlos is being protective. I'll talk to him on Monday, don't worry."

True to her word, Kiera confronts Carlos the following Monday.

"What the hell, Carlos?" she says by way of greeting.

"I could say the same to you," Carlos vollies back. "The Sadler kid? Really?"

"Are you mad because of who I'm dating, or are you mad because I'm dating someone and didn't tell you?"

"I'm not mad, I'm _confused_. I thought you had a family, and I thought… well, call me crazy, but I thought if you couldn't share anything about your personal life with your _partner_ , I guess I figured it was a universal ban. I know you've got secrets, Kiera, but you have to admit this is a weird one to keep."

"Alec is Section Six," Kiera states, much to the shock of Alec himself. "That's how we met."

"Did not realize we were going there. Okay, adjusting trajectory," Alec chimes in.

Carlos' expression is _priceless_. " _He's_ Section Six? How old is he, twelve?"

"He's eighteen, not that it's any of your business."

"Almost nineteen," Alec adds helpfully. "Sorry I forgot to tell you that. It's next month."

"Eighteen? Jeez, Kiera, I would not have pegged you for the cougar type."

"Not your place," Kiera warns.

Carlos sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "You're right, it is none of my business. I just thought… Your family?"

"Because of… my role with Section Six, I can never see them again. It's not something I like to talk about, hence why I haven't brought it up before. It's… complicated."

"Whoa, are you serious?" When Kiera nods, Carlos exhales heavily. "I can't even imagine what that must be like. Is it because of the danger, or…? You know what, forget it. You don't want to talk about it, we don't have to."

"Thank you. I really would like for you and Alec to get along—"

"I'll play nice if he will," Alec interjects.

"—or at least refrain from antagonizing each other."

"Yeah, sure, of course. Just… are you sure you can trust him, Kiera?"

Kiera fixes Carlos with a hard stare. "With my life."

"Then we're good. So tell me, how long have you guys been together? Wait – did you know who he was when we went out to the farm?"

"A while," Kiera answers vaguely. "Yes, I did, but we weren't together then. We were… friends, though. I swear to you, Carlos, I wasn't trying to be so secretive. I tell you what I can, I just…"

"I understand. Some secrets aren't yours to tell. Well, I'm happy for you. Sounds like Section Six life can get pretty lonely."

"You have no idea," Kiera murmurs.

"So how was the movie? Or were you and Alec too busy making out like teenagers to pay attention?"

"Carlos!"

"You did kiss me in the middle of what turned out to be a pivotal scene," Alec points out.

"Kidding, kidding! No, but really. Betty totally called the twist. I, on the other hand, was blown away."

"So did Alec! Some detectives we are." Alec can hear the relieved smile in Kiera's voice. "So… you and Betty, huh?"

"Yeah, we decided we would give it a shot." Carlos lowers his voice. "It's weird, though. It feels like I'm missing something, like she's hiding something from me, you know? I can't put my finger on it, but something's off." He shrugs. "It's not like it's a definite thing yet, anyway."

"I hope it works out for you. So what leads are we chasing down today?"

Back to business as usual.

 **A/N:** Writing Carlos was a thousand times harder than I thought it would be. I hope he came across as a protective/concerned friend and not, like, aggressively OOC or something... sigh. Also, I just recently saw Now You See Me, like a couple months ago, and it was incredible.


	9. Chapter 9

"It's my birthday today," Kiera announces out of the blue one Tuesday morning.

"Oh, uh… happy birthday?"

Alec has no idea how he's supposed to respond to this information. Her tone is carefully neutral, and he can't see her face to look for any clues. Is she excited? Sad? Indifferent? It seems to him like it should be a big deal, her first birthday away from home. He remembers how hard Sam's birthday was for her, how she nearly lost it with grief (and he's still outraged at his future self for creating a program to threaten her with _erasing her memories_ ; future him is a power-hungry _douche_.) She's getting older in this brave new world; time is passing and carrying her further and further from what she knew and who she used to be. Most days she seems resigned to that fate, accepting even, but he knows that doesn't mean it isn't still hard for her.

The line goes quiet for a minute, then Kiera says, "I have a present for you."

"You know that's not how it works, right?"

"I know, but… Just, meet me at my place when you finish up at the lab tonight, all right?"

He spends the rest of the day struggling to focus. What does that mean, she has a present for him? Should he get her a gift? It seems like a nice, normal thing guys do for their girlfriends, but then, he has no idea what to get her. It's not like she gave him a lot of time to prepare.

Ultimately he decides to show up empty-handed. Kiera doesn't strike him as the sort to make a big deal out of her own birthday. Maybe she just doesn't want to be alone tonight.

He knocks, and Kiera answers the door wearing a short white dress. It's so utterly unlike anything he's ever seen her in that he's speechless for a full twenty seconds, just _staring_.

Finally he remembers he should probably say something. Clearing his throat, he goes with, "Uh. Hi. Happy birthday – I didn't, um, get you anything, but…" He trails off as she shuts the door behind him. She's looking at him so intently, yet she hasn't uttered a word. It's… a little unnerving, actually. "Nice dress, by the way," he finishes lamely.

Kiera steps closer to him. "It's my birthday," she states quietly. "And I love you. I was thinking, if you want to… if you're ready… we could, you know. Try again."

What is she… oh. _Oh_. Realization dawns, and Alec feels his eyes widen. "Yes. _Yes_. Are you sure?" he breathes, certain that somehow there's been a mistake, he can't possibly be this lucky. But she's smiling at him and nodding, and his heart is pounding as her hands slide the sleeves of his jacket off his shoulders, and he winds his fingers into her hair and crashes his lips against hers, and for once in his life he is nowhere but _here_ , now, totally and completely absorbed in the present moment.

"That was…" He leaves the sentence unfinished, hoping Kiera will fill in the blanks for him.

She rolls over and faces him with a smirk. "You're fishing for compliments."

"A little feedback would be nice, yeah."

"You could use some practice."

"Hey!" he protests. "I never claimed to be an expert."

"You know, I wouldn't mind training you," she suggests, running a finger down his chest.

"I'm the technically-still-a-teenager one here. Aren't I supposed to be the one with the insatiable appetite?"

"Are you offering another round?"

"Kiera," he groans in disbelief. "We have _work_ in the morning!"

" _I_ have work in the morning," she corrects. " _You_ set your own schedule."

"Be that as it may, I still have to actually sleep at some point."

Kiera frowns a little at him. "Are you going home?"

"Do I have to?"

She curls up into him. "Stay," she urges.

So he does.

He does, in fact, make it to the lab at a fairly reasonable hour the next morning. Unfortunately, Kellogg is already there waiting for him. Goodbye, good mood.

"Morning, Mr. Sadler," Kellogg drawls.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" snipes Alec. He'd really rather be alone with his thoughts this morning, and Kellogg being here right now is all kinds of inconvenient.

"Grumpy, are we? Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, I see. But the question is: whose bed, hmm?"

"What?"

"Mussed hair, late for work, wearing yesterday's clothes? Yes, ladies and gentlemen, our young Alec is finally getting laid! So who's the lucky lady?"

Alec shoots his obnoxious benefactor a glare. "That's exactly none of your damn business."

Kellogg chuckles, and a tiny part of Alec would cheerfully strangle him if he could. "Come on, Alec. You've been mooning for months. She must really be—" He pauses. "Why, Alec," he says, something new and hard in his voice. "I didn't know you had it in you. The Protector, really? Though I can't say I blame you. She truly is something special, isn't she? I would know."

Alec feels sick to his stomach as he recalls what Kiera told him about how she obtained the slice of the time travel device. It didn't go down quite how Kellogg is implying, but that doesn't make the lascivious look on Kellogg's face any more palatable.

"Stay out of my life, Kellogg," Alec says furiously.

"Ah, ah, ah. No can do. Business partners, remember? I'm wounded that you would leave me in the dark about this latest development," Kellogg pronounces.

"Just leave her alone, okay? I know you, and I don't trust you not to do something stupid about this. Or about anything else, really."

"Can it be…? Do you _love_ her?" Kellogg peers into Alec's face and then claps his hands together gleefully. "You do, don't you? Oh, this is priceless! The great Alec Sadler has fallen in love with the woman out of time. This can only end tragically, you know," he says sagely. "She isn't even supposed to be here. And you… you have a greater destiny to fulfill, my friend, and it's not one Kiera wants any part of. Believe me."

"Yeah? Well then maybe I don't want any part of it either!" He turns to leave, then, and Kellogg grabs his arm.

"Think, Alec. You are not an impulsive man. You'd throw everything away, your potential, your legacy, for what? A few rolls in the hay with an older woman?"

"I'm not throwing anything away," Alec spits. "I'm just rethinking some things. And this alliance is one of them."

With that, he wrenches his arm out of Kellogg's grip and walks away.

 **A/N:** A surprise douchey Kellogg appears! Honestly, I had no idea he was going to show up in this fic at all, but there he was, fully formed and begging to be written. This chapter was possibly my favorite to write, and easily the one I'm proudest of. Next chapter might be up later this weekend, or it might be longer, depending on how some challenging characterization goes.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey. So, absolutely no pressure at all, but did you have something planned for my birthday? Because my mom wanted me to come by for dinner, and I was going to tell her I could make it, but then it occurred to me that you may have had other ideas, and I didn't want to mess with that. Not that I expect you to do anything big, or anything at all, really; as far as birthday celebrations go, yours would be hard to top anyway, so…"

"I… what? Alec, you're rambling."

"Dammit, I am. Okay, here's the thing—" he takes a deep breath before barreling forward – "I'd like to invite you to my birthday dinner with my family. Well, my mom, mostly. Or only. I doubt Julian will show up; he's too busy being Theseus."

Kiera inhales sharply. "That's a big step, don't you think?"

"On a list of steps in a relationship, I think we've blown past most of the big ones already. Meeting the family is relatively minor at this point, don't you think? Plus, you've got it pretty easy; you only have one introduction to suffer through."

"And what an introduction it would be! 'Hi, Mrs. Randol, I'm Kiera Cameron. Yes, I realize we already met once, when your husband was shot and killed by police. Oh, by the way, I'm dating your son.'"

By now, Alec has learned that Kiera hides worry behind bitter sarcasm. "Obviously I'd have to smooth things over some before putting you two in the same room, but come on. This means a lot to me, Kiera. Please? Just think about it?"

After a quiet pause, Kiera reluctantly agrees. "I guess, if nothing else, your mother and I do have one thing in common," she sighs.

"What's that?"

"We both love you."

"Hey, Mom. I'm calling about my birthday dinner," Alec says, cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder while he types. Sure, it would be easier to put it on speaker, but he doesn't trust Kellogg not to be silently snooping. The guy walks like a frickin' cat; he's snuck up on Alec more than once.

The uneasy alliance with Kellogg is back on for now. Alec and Kiera discussed it, and they'd decided that having Kellogg tentatively on their side was better than having him as an outright enemy. Kiera is hoping he'll continue feeding her intel on Liber8, and Alec is happy to still have funding to continue inventing. It works… for now.

"Yeah, I can make it. Whatever you want to make – yeah, a pot roast sounds great. I do have a request though – no, not lemon bars, I – yes, obviously ice cream, is that even a question? I – Mom! Could you shut up for one second? Listen, there's someone I'd like you to meet. I've been dating this girl, and… is it all right if I bring her?"

His mother agrees instantly, which is hardly unexpected. Now for the hard part.

"Great, that's awesome! But, um, there is something I should tell you first… No, she's not pregnant! Jeez, Mom! Could you let me actually get a sentence out for once? _Thank you_. Here's the thing, you've actually, uh, met her before. She's a police officer – well, kind of, it's a long story – and she was here investigating the, ah, fertilizer incident…"

He listens to the uncomfortable silence on the other end and decides it's best to forge ahead anyway. "I know you said you don't blame anyone involved for what happened to – to Roland, and if you can forgive Julian for being an ass, then you certainly wouldn't hold anything against Kiera. It just didn't see fair not to warn you is all. I didn't want you to be blindsided."

To Alec's relief, his mother takes this news in stride. She is an amazingly levelheaded woman – he likes to think he takes after her somewhat in that regard – and she would do anything for her family. Allowing a figure from one of the worst days of her life back into her home is apparently not beyond her capacity. The conversation turns to more run-of-the-mill subjects naturally.

"How did we meet? I've been, uh, consulting for the police department off and on. Well, pretty much just for the task force Kiera heads up. They're working on taking down Liber8. So, yeah, if you could just try not to get too political at dinner tomorrow… Thanks, Mom. It means a lot. Okay, see you tomorrow. Love you. Bye."

"You're sure your mom is okay with me coming?" Kiera asks again anxiously. Her leg hasn't stopped bouncing the whole ride out here.

"Yes, she's excited to meet you. It's going to be fine, Kiera. She'll like you."

"I just don't want to force her into remembering her loss. How did she respond when you told her who I was?"

"After I assured her you were not, in fact, pregnant, I explained that she already knew you… What's wrong?"

Kiera's face is twisted in an expression part grief and part horror. "Why would she think I was pregnant?"

"It was a joke; I said I had to tell her something about my girlfriend, and she – are you crying?"

Kiera wipes fiercely at her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." She takes a deep breath. "I wasn't planning to have this conversation with you yet, maybe ever, but I don't want kids. Not now, probably not ever again. It would feel too much like trying to replace Sam."

Alec reaches down and squeezes Kiera's hand. "I hear you. I'm so sorry, I didn't think… I didn't consider how that kind of joke would affect you. I want to say something, I want to get this right… Just give me a second to put my words together, all right?"

Kiera stares out the window.

"Kiera, I love you for you, past life and all. I can't say I've thought a lot about having kids one way or the other, but it's definitely not, like, a major goal of mine to be a dad. So, you know, no pressure or anything."

A wobbly smile finds its way onto Kiera's face. "Thanks. You're very… accepting, of me, always. I love you for that. Among other things." A shaky breath. "So your mom doesn't blame me for what happened? At all?"

"Kiera, she doesn't even blame Julian, and he held her hostage at gunpoint. We've been over this. I know you're nervous, but it's going to be way easier than you think."

"How much longer till we get there?"

"We're pretty close. Less than ten minutes."

When they pull in the driveway, Alec leans over and gives Kiera a quick kiss. "Ready?"

Alec's mother opens the door before they're quite in front of it. "Happy birthday, sweetheart!" she greets Alec, wrapping him in a tight hug. It's briefly awkward when she turns to Kiera and doesn't seem to know what to do with her hands. Alec desperately tries to nonverbally warn her not to hug Kiera; he's pretty sure that level of intimacy would freak Kiera out more than make her feel welcome. Mercifully, she keeps her arms at her sides as she says, "And you're Kiera. It's so good to meet you properly. Alec has told me so much about you."

Kiera shoots Alec a look. "He has?"

"Actually, he's told me frustratingly little about you," Ann laughs. "I suppose you'll have to fill in the gaps yourself. But – food first! I've had this roast in the crockpot all day and it smells so good; I'm starving."

They sit around the kitchen table; Alec tries to imagine what the chipped plates and mismatched glasses look like through Kiera's eyes. He tries to drown out his anxiety over the three of them in this room again, tells himself it's high time for a new start.

"The potatoes are wonderful, Mrs. Randol," Kiera says tentatively.

"Oh, please, don't be ridiculous," Alec's mother answers, with a dramatic wave of her fork. "Call me Ann. Tell me, Kiera, about how you and Alec met?"

Ah, crap. Somehow, rehearsing their story fell between the cracks. Thankfully, Kiera spins the same half-truth he did. "I'm sure Alec told you I'm a consultant of sorts with the Vancouver Police Department, primarily focused on gang activity and terrorism. Alec has been lending his talents with our investigations."

"Really? Well, I'm glad to hear he's putting his gifts to good use. Now, you know, as a mother, I have to worry a bit… Is it a dangerous position?"

Kiera and Alec share a look. Alec clears his throat. "Kiera goes to great lengths to keep me out of harm's way. It gets a little old at times, actually; I can handle myself."

Kiera and Ann simultaneously quirk a single eyebrow. "Really," Kiera says dryly.

Alec raises his hands defensively. "Not that I'm not appreciative," he amends hastily. An ill-timed attempt at humor, he thinks glumly.

"Well, thank you for keeping an eye on my boy. Heaven knows he's got a knack for finding trouble. Gets more than just his brains from his father! Alec, honey, how are things going with your roommates?"

"Uh, fine, I guess?"

"They still haven't warmed up to you yet?"

"Ricky and I play video games together sometimes. It's not bad, I just don't have that much in common with them. I don't mind, though, really. Gives me more time and space to work on stuff."

"Maybe you ought to move in with Kiera."

Kiera freezes with a forkful of green beans halfway to her mouth; Alec chokes on the water he'd just taken a sip of. After he's done coughing, he sputters, " _What_?"

"I'm just saying, it seems foolish for the two of you to waste all that money on separate rent when you could be pooling your resources."

Alec isn't sure what his face is doing, but judging by his girlfriend's tilted head and pinched lips, it probably isn't anything good. "You don't have to look so horrified," she says, and he's instantly relieved to hear teasing in her tone.

"Thanks for opening _that_ can of worms, Mom."

Ann shrugs. "It's just a thought. Kiera, I imagine your work keeps you pretty busy. What do you do when you have the luxury of free time?"

Kiera looks slightly uncomfortable; Alec knows that she rarely indulges in hobbies. Even in 2077, her time was always spent meeting the needs and wants of others; doing something just for the fun of it is something she's really only just learning to do. "I read some," Kiera replies. "And Alec has been trying to get me into _Doctor Who_ recently."

Ann grins. "You too?"

"I won't rest until the world is converted!" Alec proclaims. A mostly lighthearted time-travel adventure seemed apropos to Kiera's decidedly timey-wimey situation, and of course, inducting Kiera into a thriving and vital part of nerd culture had its benefits.

"I don't doubt it. You have always been very determined," Ann reflects, and there's a sad note to her voice that Alec can't quite place. He wonders if perhaps his mother is still struggling with both her boys moving out and leaving her at once; he resolves to call and visit more often. "You said you like books, Kiera? What do you like to read?"

"Oh, you know, a little bit of everything. Science and history, mostly," Kiera answers. Alec tries to recall the titles he's seen on her bedside table the last few times he's been at her hotel; they were typically otherwise occupied, so he hasn't had a chance to flip through them, but he thinks he remembers seeing a biography and a book analyzing political trends of the last decade. Sensible choices for a woman trying to suss out the climate of the unfamiliar world she's been thrust into, if a bit dry. But then, he can't imagine Kiera getting wrapped up in a romance novel.

"Mm, I'm a Jodi Piccoult fan myself," Ann says, and from there, the conversation flows easily, remaining mostly in safe waters. As always, Alec admires his mother's ability to put someone at ease with her gentle, undemanding way of being. They finish dinner and dessert without incident, Alec enjoying watching Kiera slowly come out of her shell. His mom gives him his birthday presents – a caffeine molecule t-shirt, a pair of blue sneakers, and a gift card to the grocery store (which he appreciates immensely, as it's been three days since he's eaten an actual vegetable) – and then Kiera touches his back lightly to signal that it's time to go.

It's obvious that his mom is holding back tears as she walks them to the door, so Alec asks Kiera to give them a minute. "I'll be out in a sec, okay?" he tells her.

She nods. "Thank you for dinner, Ann. It was lovely of you to include me."

This time, Ann does hug Kiera. "It was my pleasure. Please, do come back soon!"

Once Kiera is in the car, Alec's mom turns to him. "You really love her, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," he admits. It feels good to be able to talk to someone about it, though it's weird having this conversation with her. Hands in his pockets, eyes on the floor, he confesses, "I love her so much I can scarcely breathe sometimes. I know that sounds crazy, but…"

"Does she know that?" his mom asks softly.

He swallows. "I think so, yeah."

"Don't let her go, Alec," she urges. "That girl is good for you."

"She's a good person."

"I don't just mean that. The way she looks at you, sweetie… the way you are with her…" After some thinking, she finds the words. "I know you're young," she says at last. "But that doesn't mean you don't have to consider your future." As if he can ever think about anything else. "I'd like to see you become more of the person you are when she's with you. That's all I'm saying."

"Why, Mom, are you actually showing some self-restraint and leaving a thought unsaid?" Alec laughs and hugs her. "Message received. Cherish the woman in front of you. I got it."

"Don't go so long between visits next time, all right? I miss you."

"You got it. Talk to you soon, Mom."

As soon as he gets in the truck, Kiera turns to him. "Everything all right?"

"Everything's fine. She just wanted to give me some life advice."

"Anything I should be concerned about?"

"Absolutely not. She loved you, Kiera. You made a great impression."

"I'm glad. She's a good woman."

A little while later, Kiera asks him, "Alec? Did you have a good birthday?"

"Very much so. Although, I can't say it compares to how much I enjoyed yours…"

A smirk dances across Kiera's lips. "There's still time to fix that."

 **A/N:** Holy noodles, we've reached 10,000 words! I think we're approaching the end here in the next couple chapters, but I make no promises. This chapter was ridiculously hard to write (and ended up being the longest so far, actually, for no good reason). Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed your Christmas gift. :)


	11. Chapter 11

As it tends to do, time passes. It's mostly uneventful, with small notable blips on the radar: Kiera moves to the home she grew up in (Alec is somewhat surprised by the sentimentality of that choice, but Kiera explains that it brings her back to a simpler time, a time when she was happy, and she's finally putting down roots – who is he to argue with that?), and the truth of Kiera's time travel adventures is revealed to Carlos, after a case that raised a few too many questions. Having someone else who knows who she really is has been such a relief for Kiera. Finally she has an outlet, an ally in whom she can confide her worries and frustrations, who isn't a version of the person who caused this mess in the first place, who she isn't trying desperately to shield from her concerns. Initially Alec was worried – and yes, the small part of him that still harbors a tendency toward jealousy when it comes to Carlos was difficult to shut up – but it's turned out to be a good thing. Carlos is a good man, and a good friend to Kiera. Having him in on their secret has been helpful for both of them, really. It's put less strain on Kiera, no longer having to hide so much from her partner. And having someone to hash things out with means Kiera spends less time agonizing over what to share with Alec and what to hold back.

Tonight is a quiet night in for the two of them. They've had the luxury of more days like this one, where no one is getting shot at or otherwise put in harm's way, much more frequently of late. Turns out Kiera isn't the only one reconsidering her role in the present. Things have been calmer lately on the terrorism front; Liber8 seems to be having a reflective look inward as they try to figure out what their true goal is. Changing the course of history is a given, but what do they want their version of the future to look like? And what methods are they willing to use to achieve it? It's the same question Kiera and Alec have endlessly circled. No one seems to share the same vision.

For tonight, though, life's grand unanswerables have been put aside. While Alec attempts to spin his own version of an old project of his father's, Kiera continues her quest to learn all she can about this time. Her current selection looks like it might be an introduction to business law.

The silence is comfortable, yet somehow deafening at the same time. As always, Alec's brain-mouth disconnect hurtles him into dangerous territory. With absolutely no lead-in or finesse, he broaches possibly the biggest question of anyone's life: "What do you think of getting married?"

Kiera glances up from her book and gives him a have-you-lost-your-mind look. "Alec, you're _nineteen_."

"Haven't forgotten."

She shakes her head. "You can't even legally drink yet, and you want to get _married_?"

Like so many things in their relationship, this conversation wasn't exactly planned, but Alec decides to take it and run with it. At this point, what does he have to lose? "I know you sometimes forget, but we're in Canada. Drinking age is eighteen here. Besides, you mean to tell me in 2077, the U.S. _still_ hasn't changed that ridiculous law?"

"North America is one country in my time. And no, some things don't change."

Flabbergasted, he vollies back, "So you can _die in a war_ at sixteen, but you can't drown your PTSD in alcohol until you're twenty-one? Talk about messed up priorities!"

"On the list of non-ideal things about my 2077, I doubt the drinking age cracks the top one hundred." Putting her book down next to her on the couch, Kiera heaves a heavy sigh. "Do we have to do this now, Alec?"

"Do what now?"

"Fight about our relationship."

"Who said anything about fighting? I asked you what you thought about marriage; you clearly weren't into the idea; now we're discussing. It's not a big deal; it's not like I have a ring or anything even. If you want, we can forget this conversation even happened."

"It is a big deal. You wouldn't have said anything if it didn't matter to you. What I want to know is why. Why would you want to marry me?"

"Are you kidding? Kiera, I _love_ you. You're smart, funny, and beautiful, and idealistic, and a badass to boot. We've made it through a lot of shit together, and we make a pretty excellent team. Why _wouldn't_ I want to lock that down?"

There's a smile on Kiera's face as she listens to his declaration, though it quickly gives way to a concerned expression. "You misunderstood me. I wasn't being self-deprecating. I just meant… There are a thousand reasons marriage would be a bad idea for us."

"All right, name them," Alec challenges. "Leaving my age out of it, because really, Kiera, I thought we were past that by now."

"Just off the top of my head? Fine. Documentation, for starters. I can't exactly show up at the courthouse with no papers."

"It doesn't have to be official. We could get some rings and have Carlos be our witness or something. It doesn't have to be legal to count."

Kiera processes this. "Your mother," she says finally.

"What about her? We tell her we eloped; she'd be a little upset she wasn't included, but she'll get over it. She adores you."

"Okay, how about: it's crazy to make that kind of commitment when we haven't even been together that long?"

This is the one hurdle Alec isn't quite sure how to leap over. It's true; their relationship has been intense since the beginning, but they haven't even known each other quite two years. "Kiera, do you love me?"

"You know I do. That's not fair."

"I'm not asking you as some sort of guilt trip. I'm trying to prove a point – you're overthinking things. Focusing on the complications instead of the possibilities." He pauses. "Also, maybe I'm indulging my insecurities a little, but that's neither here nor there."

Kiera appears to have a silent conversation with herself, and then she comes to a decision. She gets up from the couch and walks across the room to where he's sitting with his laptop at the kitchen table. "Stand up so I don't feel like I'm towering over you."

Alec grumbles, "It's not my fault I'm short," but he stands up anyway and faces her.

"Alec." Kiera takes his face in her hands and looks him straight in the eye. "You are, without a doubt, the most incredible man I have ever met. I love your passion, for people and projects. I love your determination to make the world a better place and your willingness to sacrifice to do the right thing. I love your unshakeable faith in me. I love the way you light up like it's Christmas morning when something you're designing goes right. I love the way you sometimes talk in your sleep. I love that you refuse to half-ass anything. I love your bravery and your brilliant mind and your stupid sense of humor. I love that you will do anything for the people you love, and I love that I am one of them.

"I know that you think you fell for me first, Alec, and that's probably true. But I fell _in love_ with you first. Long before I was willing to admit it. You think you're the one who loves more, Alec. But that's not true. It's so far from true it's ridiculous." She gives a breathy little laugh. "Now I've gone and monologued. You're turning me into a sap, Alec Sadler." Before taking her hands away from the sides of his face, she lightly brushes her lips against his forehead.

"Unfair, you're using your height to your advantage again," Alec scolds her, and then he leans forward and kisses her with all that he's got.

Sometime later, Kiera says breathlessly, "Must have been some speech."

"It would make the highlights reel of our relationship, that's for sure."

"You're right, you know. I got so caught up in the impracticalities… what people would think… how it could go wrong… that I lost sight of the point. We're a team. We have been, since the very beginning. I wouldn't want to do this, any of it, without you."

Alec scarcely can let himself breathe. "So that's not a no, then?"

Her face is absolutely radiant as she replies, "It's an enthusiastic _yes_."

Several minutes pass before the magnitude of what has just transpired really hits Alec. "Did that just… did we actually… are we, like, engaged now?"

"Apparently. Why, having second thoughts?"

They're sitting next to each other on the couch now, and Kiera's playing with his hair, and it's making it incredibly hard to form any coherent sentences. "No! Absolutely not. I'm just saying, if I knew I was proposing, I would have done a better job of it. I would have bought a ring, at least."

"It was perfect," Kiera says softly. "It was very you. Thoughtful, honest, a little bit reckless… Come to think of it, kind of weirdly argumentative..."

"I am not _argumentative_!"

Kiera looks at him pointedly. "May I present to you exhibit A."

 **A/N:** This is the most self-indulgent thing I have ever written. For characters who struggle a whole lot in canon with expressing themselves, I cannot seem to get my versions of these two to shut up! This scene happened a bit sooner than I was expecting, but oh well.


	12. Chapter 12

The first person to find out, oddly enough, is Ricky. The only person Alec really wants to tell is his mom, but telling her that he and Kiera eloped after the fact is a safer move. Keeping it a secret until then is going to be a challenge, though.

There aren't a lot of people in his life that he cares about enough to share this with. His roommates ordinarily would not top the list, but it occurs to him that he has to let them know he'll be moving out. So when he runs into Ricky in the kitchen the morning after he semi-accidentally proposed, he broaches the subject.

"Hey man," he begins awkwardly, pretending he doesn't know that the milk Ricky's pulling out of the fridge is at least a week past its sell-by date. "Can I ask you about something?"

"Alec! Good night last night? Didn't hear you come in till this morning, so it must have been a good one," Ricky teases.

"Yeah, it was… you have no idea. Listen," Alec says, folding and unfolding his fingers nervously, "how much warning would you expect me to give before moving out?"

"That depends, I guess. You're in luck, though; my cousin's been talking about moving to the city for months, and he's been asking me when something here might open up, so if you're planning to leave, we'd already have someone lined up to cover the rent." He takes a bite out of a very stale bagel. "Why, you thinking of moving in with your girlfriend?"

"Fiancée, now, actually. We're, uh, we're engaged."

Ricky's eyes widen. "That's a big step, my dude," he says around a mouthful of bagel. "Like, the biggest. You sure you're ready for that already?"

Alec resists the urge to roll his eyes. What he wants to say is: _No offense, but do you really think we are anywhere near close enough to be having this conversation right now_? What actually comes out of his mouth, is, "Thanks for the concern, but that's really more between me and Kiera." Well, he tried.

"Right, cool. Well, I'd say you're good to finish out the month and then go, if that's what you want. Whatever works for you. I'll call Dylan today and let him know there's a space for him." As if this conversation weren't already uncomfortably intimate enough, Ricky claps Alec on the back. "Congrats, Alec. And good luck in your new life and all of that."

Asking Carlos for his blessing/involvement/whatever isn't nearly as anxiety-inducing as Alec was expecting. In his entire life, he's never come across someone as chill and nonjudgmental as Carlos Fonnegra.

"So let me get this straight," Carlos says around a bite of chicken sandwich. He's sitting across from the two of them in a booth at a diner near the station. "You want me to, what, perform your clandestine wedding ceremony? I'm not a minister, guys. Not even kind of."

"It doesn't have to be legit," Alec explains. "You'd be more of a witness, really. Maybe lead some vows or something. It's more symbolic than anything else."

"We want someone there other than just us," Kiera adds. "For reasons I think you understand now, we can't afford to have anyone look too closely. We'll tell everyone we eloped, and hopefully that won't raise too many questions. But we want this to be a promise we make in front of _someone_ , at least, and I'd really like for you to be involved. Please, just… say you'll consider it."

"Are you kidding? Of course I'm in! This is going to be great. Kind of weirdly shady, as weddings go, but great. I'm happy for you guys. Kiera, it's good to see you putting down roots and finally doing something to ensure your own happiness. Alec…" Carlos winks. "Way to nail that down, my man."

Alec feels himself blush slightly. It's still sinking in that Kiera is going to be _his wife_. It doesn't seem possible. No one gets to be this fortunate, least of all people whose decisions make or break the fate of the world.

"Thank you, Carlos," he says sincerely. "It means a lot to me – us – to have you there."

"Absolutely. So when are we doing this thing?"

"As long as you're available, we were planning on three weeks from today," Kiera answers.

Carlos raises an eyebrow and leans back from the table a bit. "Okay, okay. Wow," he says slowly, clearly trying to absorb all of this. The poor guy has had a lot to process lately, what with learning his friend and partner is actually from 60-some years in the future, and sometimes it's the little things that throw him for a loop. "That seems a little sudden, don't you think?"

"You can blame Kiera for that one. I'm sure this will come as _such_ a shock to you, but once she gets an idea in her head, she wants it to happen yesterday. We'd probably be getting married tomorrow if she had her way—" he slips his hand into hers – "but there are still a few details to iron out."

With a shake of his head, Carlos exhales and then grins. "Okie dokie. Let's get you two crazy kids married."


	13. Chapter 13

It feels like forever and no time at all passes, but the day finally rolls around. Carlos is running late; they're both bouncing on their toes in a blend of nerves and trying to keep warm while they wait under a tree in the park. Kiera is wearing the white dress from her birthday and Alec's jacket (why she couldn't have worn one of her own plentiful collection of coats is beyond Alec; apparently she overestimated the temperature); for his part, Alec went with khakis instead of jeans this morning, but they otherwise look like they're dressed for a normal day. Neither of them wanted to buy anything new for the ceremony.

Carlos finally arrives a full forty minutes past the agreed-upon time. "Sorry, I forgot the rings and had to go back," he apologizes, handing each of them one of the matching plain gold bands Kiera had picked out. "Figured those were kind of important. You ready?"

"Yes," Kiera answers at the same time Alec asserts, "Absolutely."

"Wait just a sec." Carlos fishes his phone out of his pocket. "Gotta get a couple pictures first. Believe me, you'll want those later."

Alec is halfway in a daze as he recites the vows as prompted by Carlos. All he can think is _You, you, you_ as he watches Kiera's lips forming the words promising forever.

"Okay, you may now kiss the – whoa, okay then," Carlos says, sounding amused as Kiera grabs Alec's face and kisses him hard.

After a time, Carlos coughs loudly. "I seem to be unnecessary here. I'll leave you lovebirds to it, then?"

Reluctantly, the pair breaks apart. "Carlos," Kiera says, a little out of breath, "thank you, for everything. For being so supportive, and always having my back, and…"

"Don't mention it." Carlos waves her off. "It's what partners do. Now, you'll definitely still be in on Monday? No surprise honeymoon?"

"I think I've done enough traveling for a lifetime," Kiera responds with a smile.

"Cool, cool. Dead bodies and civil unrest can wait, though. You two enjoy each other," Carlos tosses over his shoulder as he walks off.

"I love it when you blush," Kiera whispers against Alec's ear.

"That's convenient, because I love it when you make me," Alec responds, and he takes her hand and they practically run together toward the car, ready for this latest adventure.

The next morning comes slowly, arriving in bits and pieces of half-realness and blooming awareness. Kiera's the first to really wake; with eyes still half-shut, she rolls over and brings her face close to his, so that their noses are touching.

"Mm. Careful, morning breath," Alec mumbles, gesturing vaguely at his mouth.

"We're married now. We get to deal with each other's morning breath for the rest of our lives," Kiera murmurs, and she kisses him anyway.

 **A/N:** My apologies for such a short chapter! Hopefully the unbearable cuteness I've got in the pipeline makes up for it somewhat.


	14. Chapter 14

"You should call your mother," Kiera says to him while they're unloading groceries later that week.

"I'd really rather not."

Kiera sighs. "I know you think she's going to be mad at you for not telling her sooner. But the longer you let this go on, the worse it's going to get. Right now, it's only been a few days; that's forgivable. Eventually, though, it's going to look like you were trying to hide it from her, and I'm pretty sure you don't want to deal with that fallout."

Alec launches a bag of chips onto the top shelf of the pantry and swears loudly when it falls and whacks him in the head. "I think I'll wait until I see her next."

"You will do no such thing," insists Kiera. "If you are this afraid of a phone call, there is no way in hell you could handle this conversation in person."

"Fine," Alec grumbles. "You're right. I'll do it." Before he loses his nerve, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and thumbs through his contacts until he reaches his mom's number. With a deep breath, he presses "send."

"Alec?" His mom always sounds anxious when she first picks up the phone. Probably has something to do with the fact that in spite of his resolutions to the contrary, he still rarely calls her.

"Hey, Mom, it's been a while. Is now a good time, or should I call back later?"

Kiera mouths "don't you dare" at him from across the kitchen.

"Now's fine; is everything all right? Oh, everything sounds off, do you have me on speaker?"

"Yeah, you're on speaker. Kiera's here, too; we, uh…" He clears his throat. "We had something we wanted to tell you."

"She's not pregnant, is she?"

 _Again_? "Mother, you act like I've never heard of a condom before. It's a little insulting." He glances up and notices Kiera frowning. "Also, not especially funny. Once was more than enough for that line, Mom."

She's silent for a long minute. "I'm sorry," she says at last. "I suppose I can see where that was in poor taste. I didn't mean to insinuate that would be a bad thing, anyway. You know I'd love grandchildren."

Dramatically, Alec throws his head back and rolls his eyes. This conversation is going nowhere good. "MOM."

By now Kiera is stifling laughter. Apparently Ann's insistence on making every conversation unbearably awkward has smoothed over the whole please-don't-joke-about-that-I-miss-my-son-too-much tension. Nothing like seeing Alec embarrassed to lift Kiera's spirits.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, you said you had something to tell me and I've been talking over you this whole time. So, shoot."

Mouth dry, he somehow manages, "We, um… Kiera and I got married, Mom."

Silence.

His heart starts beating faster and he feels suddenly very small. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this, I wanted to tell you earlier, but it was an elopement an d we wanted to keep it small, and…" From the other end of the line comes the unmistakable sound of crying. Kiera looks alarmed. "Mom? I really am sorry, you know it's not like I didn't want you there, I…"

"No, no, baby, I'm not upset with you," she cuts in. "Oh, Alec, this is all I could have hoped for you! All I've ever wanted was for you to settle into yourself and find happiness. And that girl… I've never seen you so at peace with yourself." She sniffles. "Kiera?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for choosing to put up with my son."

"It seemed only fair, after he agreed to sign up for a lifetime of my flaws," Kiera responds.

"So when was this, exactly?" Ann asks.

"Just last weekend. It was very small, as Alec said." Just how small, they'll keep to themselves.

"Oh! Oh, you know I would have loved to be there, but I'm just so happy that you…" Her voice breaks. "My baby has found his place in the world. Oh, my, a gift! I need to get you guys a gift! What do you need? Pots? A coffeemaker? Don't be ridiculous, Ann, of course they already have a coffeemaker. Towels? A lamp?"

Now Kiera really is laughing. "You don't need to buy us a gift, Ann," she assures her mother-in-law. (Alec's mind is still boggling over the change in terminology for their relationships to one another. It's a lot to get used to.) "Just knowing we have your support means the world."

"Well, of course you do! Honestly, I never could have dreamed… This is just the most absolutely wonderful news," she babbles. "Oh, my heart is so full."

"Listen, Mom, we gotta go. I'll call you later this week so we can plan a time to visit, okay?"

"All right, honey. I'll talk to you later."

No sooner does Alec hang up than his phone buzzes with an incoming text message.

Kiera looks at his curiously but doesn't ask. He doesn't get a lot of texts, so this is sort of out of the ordinary.

"It's Mom," Alec answers her unspoken question.

 _Your dad isn't around to have these conversations with you anymore, and I feel like I fell down on the job_ , the message begins. His phone keeps buzzing periodically; apparently his mom still has quite a lot to say. _Thankfully it's never too late for some good old-fashioned advice_.

 _1)_ _You are going to drive each other crazy sometimes. Keep at it. The times you least want to be within ten feet of each other are the times you should._

 _2)_ _You will hurt her. Apologize._

 _3)_ _Talk often, about anything. Even if it's boring. Especially if it's boring. Intimacy is built in the everyday._

 _4)_ _No secrets, only surprises. If finding out about it eventually isn't the point, it's not a surprise._

 _5)_ _Do small stuff for her without having to be asked._

 _6)_ _Love her with all that you've got, Alec, even when you want to walk away. You think now that you never will, and maybe it won't happen. Maybe you'll be the lucky ones. But if it does happen – when you hurt each other beyond belief, when it seems impossible to fix – fight for her. Because fighting for her means fighting for you, too, when you are two halves of a whole._

 _7)_ _Kiera, if you're reading this, make him own up to his mistakes. Don't let his head get too big._

 _8)_ _But be patient with him, too. He's still growing. So are you. Marriage is about happiness, yes, but mostly it is about growth. The idea is to grow together, like the roots of a tree._

 _9)_ _Don't be afraid to ask for help. You'll need allies. Nobody wins a battle alone, and believe me, marriage is a battle. The worthiest one there is._

 _10)_ _Laugh often._

Kiera, who has indeed been reading the screen Alec had tilted in her direction over his shoulder, hugs Alec tightly and buries a kiss in his hairline. "She's a good woman."

"The best," Alec agrees. "I'm just glad I'm not getting disowned for not inviting her to the wedding, though."

"Just because we can't tell her everything doesn't mean we need to leave her out entirely," Kiera points out. "I know that ever since I showed up and dragged you into my mess, you've been kind of isolated, but family is important. I really believe you can find a way to stay connected."

"Agreed. Before you came, though, I was even more isolated, and a heck of a lot lonelier. Your arrival was a definite improvement." He cups her cheek. "Besides, your mess is mine now."


	15. Chapter 15

"I want to see myself the way you see me," Alec says out of the blue one night. "To meet the version of me that you know."

She's tracing his face lightly with her fingers. "You've never watched?"

"What do you mean?"

"My CMR footage. There's plenty of you in there."

"I guess when you're looking at me, I'm usually not looking at your feed. If we're in the same room, I'd much rather be looking at you."

"You should try it."

"What, now?"

"Yes, now."

Alec considers this. "But my laptop is in the kitchen, and it's cold. And you're here, and also this bed is very warm and comfortable."

"Your phone is _right there_ , lazybones."

"Oh." Alec picks up his phone from the bedside table and pulls up the feed from Kiera's CMR. "What exactly am I supposed to be doing?"

"For starters, looking at the screen instead of me, you idiot," she teases.

So he does. At first, it seems rather pointless. "It's just… me," he says, disappointed. But as he looks closer, tries to pay attention, little things begin to show. The way Kiera's eyes flick around the room but then back to him, always to him. How messy his hair is – there's one curl standing straight up from Kiera playing with it earlier (lately, it's her favorite hobby). The unfolding smile on his face.

He taps around through the archives of older footage, too. He comes across a recent sequence when Kiera came home to him making dinner. Onscreen, Kiera stands silently in the doorway, simply observing. Alec hasn't noticed that she's home yet. Enthralled, he watches himself utterly absorbed in the task; he's humming happily to himself. Kiera's attention is focused on his hands as he stirs, still oblivious to her presence; light glints off the gold band on his finger. Kiera looks down at her own matching ring and then sneaks up on her husband, wrapping her arms around him from behind. For a moment all he can really see is his own hair and his whole body shaking with laughter, and then he can see his own face, sparkling eyes crinkling at the corners, and then darkness as Kiera closes her eyes.

He remembers that night. He ended up burning most of the spaghetti.

"The face I make when I'm about to kiss you is bizarre," he remarks.

He flips back to the current feed and notices that Kiera's heartrate is accelerated. Confused, and a little hopeful, he glances up at her. "Everything okay?" he asks.

"You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," she says wistfully instead of answering. "And it is completely unfair that you get to see yourself from my point of view, but I can't do the same. I want to meet your Kiera. The one that you believe in so fiercely."

Alec repositions himself so he's just above her. "She's you," he says firmly, and plants a kiss on her forehead. "All of you." Her nose. "All that you are enchants me." Her lips. "I may be a man of science, but nothing about your existence in my life is anything less than magical." Her neck. "And yes, I hear myself, and I know how corny that sounds. But I think newlyweds get a pass on that stuff."

She laughs, and it's the most delightful sound in the universe.

 **A/N:** This is the most vomit-inducingly cute thing I've ever written. If that's your thing, you're welcome! If not, next chapter should help to temper some of the unmitigated adorableness of the last few chapters.


	16. Chapter 16

Things they have fought over in the last week alone:

· How often to go grocery shopping

· When it is worth the extra money to purchase name brand (Alec firmly believes cereal makes it onto this list; so far Kiera has been willing to budge only for cold medicine)

· Whether laundry is a shared task or every man for himself

· The conservation ethics of running the dishwasher versus doing the dishes by hand

· The proper location of spoons in the silverware drawer

· Kiera's habit of running headlong into dangerous situations without backup or any significant level of risk assessment (in fairness, this argument has been ongoing practically since they met)

· Alec's tendency to not talk for hours or days at a time when he gets absorbed in a project

· Whose turn it is to cook dinner (a nightly rerun)

· The correct pronunciation of the word "envelope"

Honestly, Alec isn't even sure what exactly they're fighting over right now, only that neither of them has spoken to the other in the last two hours, and he's pretty sure he's going to have to be the one to break the silence, because if there's one word to describe Kiera, it's _stubborn_.

Then again, he can be just as bullheaded. Not a great combination.

With a heavy sigh, he gets up to go find his pissed-off wife.

Not that she's gone far – he finds her sitting on their bed, silently stewing. Hands shoved in his pockets, he starts off, "I'm probably going to regret this, but… Care to remind me how exactly I've offended you this time?"

Kiera fixes him with a cool stare. "Seriously? You're going to play the amnesia card?"

"Look, if you don't want to talk about it—"

"Did I say I didn't want to talk about it? As a matter of fact, I have _plenty_ to say."

"Wouldn't have guessed, based on how you've been avoiding me all day, but okay."

There's a subtle tightening around her eyes that he's learned to recognize as a sign of quiet fury. "Do you know how many times you have made dinner this week?"

"I don't know, three or four times? Does it matter?"

"Twice. Twice, Alec. And both times I had to ask you to do it. Both times, you threw something in the microwave and called it a day. Do you realize how much time I put into cooking for you most nights? And you can't even be bothered—"

"Oh, spare me the martyr act!" Alec interrupts. "Don't pin this on me! You could not give less of a crap what I want to eat. Clearly, or the microwave thing would not be an issue. I've been around long enough to know what you used to eat when you lived alone, okay? You have this… this contrived image of domesticity in your head that you're trying to live up to, and when it falls apart, you lay the blame on me. I never asked for any of it. If you want something done a certain way so badly, you can do it yourself."

Kiera glares at him. "This is supposed to be a partnership," she chides. "Do you even realize how much I do to keep things running around here? When's the last time you ran the vacuum, hmm? Hell, when's the last time you unclogged the shower drain?"

"In my defense," he points out, "You have a lot more hair than I do."

"Plenty of it's blonde, believe me. Which you would know, if you bothered to help out once in a while."

Both of them are breathing heavily now from sheer anger. Alec takes a second to consider where to go from here. Part of him wants to keep pushing her, to get her to admit that she's acting ridiculous and her perfect domestic fantasy is misguided at best. Another part of him just… misses her. Also, she sort of has a point. So he decides to attempt a compromise.

"Okay, I hear you," he says carefully. "I imagine it must be frustrating to feel like you're the only one pulling your weight."

Kiera says nothing, though her glare softens slightly.

"But – to be fair – you never told me what your expectation was for any of this. And when I didn't meet that unspoken expectation, instead of confronting me about it and telling me what you were looking for, you avoided me. Can you see where that's a little crazy?"

The single raised eyebrow inspires him to backpedal quickly. "Sorry. Not – not a great choice of words. What I meant was, can you see how not addressing the issue isn't exactly fighting fair?"

Kiera sighs. "You know I'm not great at conflict resolution," she says at last. "To be honest, I don't have a lot of practice. When I was with Greg, even from the beginning, we pretty much swept everything under the rug. We almost never fought, but… we almost never really talked, either. I guess, when you spend all your time swallowing what you really want to say, nothing important ever gets said at all."

Alec sits next to her on the bed. "Can we agree not to do that? I actually _like_ hearing what you're thinking. Well, most of the time, anyway. And if you tell me what you want, what I'm doing wrong, I promise I will try to fix it. Okay?"

"I'll try." Kiera inhales sharply through her nose. "You have a point, that sometimes I have unrealistic expectations. I don't think wanting something that doesn't come out of a can for dinner is one of them, though. It doesn't have to be all the time, just… maybe we can agree to start with each of us making two actual meals each week, and reevaluate from there?"

"That sounds reasonable." He nudges his shoulder into hers. "Can we, I don't know do something? Together? I feel like we've been avoiding each other for so long that we haven't had any time to just sit down and have _fun_."

"You're just mad that we haven't watched _Doctor Who_ all week," Kiera teases.

"Oh, man, could we? We're almost to 'Silence in the Library,' and, Kiera, that's one of the best episodes, you're going to love it…"

Later, they're on the couch together, Alec with his head in Kiera's lap – which makes it harder to see the TV, but whatever, it's really comfortable. He throws popcorn kernels at Kiera's face until she opens her mouth and catches one without even looking.

"Impressive," he notes approvingly.

"Thanks. It's just one of my many talents."

"Hey, does making popcorn tonight count for one of my dinners?"

"One of these days, I am going to smother you in your sleep."

 **A/N:** Alec's got some growing up to do yet, and Kiera's got some baggage to deal with. I tried to approach that a little in this chapter. Hopefully I was successful?


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** My apologies for this taking so long. Life got in the way, and this chapter took a lot of effort to edit; but also, I wanted to give myself time to decide whether I was really ready to end this story. I'm also sorry that I didn't announce in the previous chapter that the end was coming! In my defense, I never have any idea where any of my projects are going, so I didn't know the end was coming either!

Life doesn't always move in a logical order. Alec is reminded occasionally just how much deeper Kiera's understanding of that truth is than his own – her life, after all, has not been lived in a traditional linear fashion. Most of the time, that full reality escapes them both. It's not as though they could ever _forget_ , exactly, but eventually the truth of how Kiera arrived in his life sort of fades into the background. Day-to-day life - work, friendships, hobbies, losses and gains - it all blurs together, and the immediate becomes so much more consuming than the bigger picture. So when something happens to remind them of just how strange their lives really are, it catches them off guard.

Easily the most disconcerting is when Kiera Cameron is born into this timeline. It throws his Kiera for a loop; there's nothing quite the possibility of being witness to your own birth to make you question the very foundation of your existence. In the weeks leading up to her date of birth, Kiera and Alec go back and forth debating the ethics and wisdom – not always the same thing – of getting involved in some way. For the most part, Kiera errs on the side of cautious non-interference; Alec wonders if it might be worthwhile just to check up on the other Kiera occasionally, but recognizes that it's not his decision to make. Which is just as well, because knowing that an infant version of his wife exists somewhere in the world creeps him out mightily anyway.

In the end, they decide it's best to let sleeping dogs lie. Life gets busy and besides, there are no easy answers.

This non-interventionist policy does not extend to anywhere Sam is concerned, however. A full year before Sam will be born, Kiera obtains a volunteer position at the local hospital, hoping just to catch a glimpse of her newborn son. For that year, they fight about it constantly, Alec reminding Kiera that this Sam is not hers to love, Kiera protesting that she doesn't have to interact with him to be sure he's safe and loved.

"Of course he'll be loved; his mother is still you."

"Is she, though? She's had different experiences, lived another life entirely. How much of who you are is made up of what's happened to you? The choices you've made in reaction to those things?"

It's the kind of question without a ready answer; certainly they've tried before to parse out what it means for there to be more than one version of a person in the same timeline, with no real success. For years, it was purely a hypothetical; Kagame died in the explosion right around the time his second self was born into this timeline, and the other members of Liber8 were all young enough that they hadn't had cause to meet themselves prior to 2049 (by which time Kiera was the only surviving time traveler anyway - revolution doesn't tend to lend itself to a healthy lifespan). Somehow they've managed to avoid pondering the nature and identity of other Kiera thus far, in that way that humans have of ignoring problems until they become altogether too big to manage.

It occurs to Kiera then that this Sam will also have a different life, and she retreats into herself for days. When at last she emerges, she informs Alec that she doesn't care if this Sam is the same as her Sam, she still has to have closure somehow. He can't fault her for that.

Kiera lives just long enough to see her son born into this changed world before she dies. It's a matter of mere weeks between the two events. It's not as though her death comes as a shock; she's lived well into her eighties, which, despite the constant march of advances in modern medicine, is still quite a lot considering the stress her body endured for much of her teen and early adult life. Still, losing her is hard. Knowing that, barring major alterations between Kiera's timeline and this one, he has years yet ahead without her… It seems impossible, at first, but he adjusts. Somehow, life goes on, always.

He never does get used to her being gone, though. The first six months, he's hollow. Two years after she dies, he wakes up and rolls over to kiss her good morning before remembering she's not there. He tosses her favorite brand of popcorn into the cart every time he's at the store. When something amusing or aggravating happens in his day, he still longs to tell her – so sometimes, he does. He knows she can't hear him – he hasn't lost his mind quite yet – but it helps to ease the loneliness if he imagines her smile, her laugh, her answers to the questions he's scared to ask.

It's not a perfect world they've built, but it's better, he thinks – he hopes – than the one Kiera left behind. Corporations do have significantly more power and influence than they did in 2012, and tensions persist between the masses and those in authority over them, but checks and balances remain. There's only so much a small alliance can do to hold back that kind of momentum that was long since established. Not like they were alone, of course – keeping power overall in the hands of the people is a popular goal. There have been times, even, that they have aligned themselves with Liber8's supporters; Theseus had enough sway to convince many to abandon violent methods. This timeline's Edouard Kagame, mentored by a very different Theseus, rallied a mostly peaceful movement, rather than leading a call to arms. It helps that in this version of history, the situation never escalated to the point that such tactics seemed almost - _almost_ \- excusable, as self-defense. No, it's never gotten that bad. He prays to an unknown god that it never will.

It's hard, though, knowing that eventually, he won't be around to keep up the fight. As it is, he's the last one left of their little band of change agents. He does what he can to keep the movement going, though his own involvement is slowing down. He's taken a backseat these days in regards to the day-to-day running of Sadtech, though he keeps a close eye on what's cooking in R&D. He refuses to let his company become anything like the callous giant Kiera remembers. Wresting the reins from Kellogg was a battle for the ages, but that was over half a century ago now.

As for what the future holds? Only time will tell. For now, though, he's grateful not to know the answer.

 **A/N:** *deep breath* As glad as I am to be done, I'm kind of reluctant to let this one go. This was an exciting return to writing for me after a near-drought of nearly five years. I'm not 100% thrilled with what this turned out to be, but I'm proud of it nonetheless. Coming (hopefully) soon: the angsty AU-of-an-AU spinoff fic that absolutely no one asked for! Thanks for sticking with me through this, lovely readers.


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